Step 1:
Renunciation
Renunciation
How do Christians renounce the world?
By living for something other than the world
Christ
St. John warns us that exile requires what? For what reason?
Exile requires discretion since not every kind of exile is good if taken to extremes
What are the fundamental virtues?
Obedience
Repentance
Remembrance of Death
Mourning
Meekness / Loss of Anger
Define repentance.
What does sin mean? Using that definition, what does repentance mean?
Repentance is the renewal of baptism and is a contract with God for a fresh start in life.
Repentance is not mere contrition, not a life of endless regret for every wrong we commit or for our every imperfection. Rather, it is a war against the passions.
Now if sin means missing the mark, then repentance means getting back on target. It is only when we understand repentance in this way that we can comprehend it as an ongoing, positive, and creative process.
What are the three fundamental virtues that St. John believes form the foundation of the ascetic life and liberate us from slavery to the things of this world?
Temperance
Innocence
Abstinence
Define detachment
Detachment from pride is the imitation of Christ, because if anyone did not deserve to be derided, mocked, jeered, beaten, and put to death, it is Christ.
Why does detachment precede exile?
Only when we have detached ourselves from the things of this world can we sincerely act in God's name, and not in our own, while using "God" or "Church" as a cloak to cover our otherwise naked vanity
What is obedience? What precedes all obedience? What comes from obedience?
Obedience is the burial place of the will and the resurrection of lowliness.
Exile of the body and will precedes all obedience.
From obedience comes humility (and from humility comes discernment).
Being humble, who should we compare ourselves to? Why are the saints humble?
When we are humble, we compare ourselves not to others but to God alone, before whom no one can be proud. This is why the saints are so humble. Saints keep repenting because they keep comparing themselves to the infinite holiness of God. The holier we become, the more sinful we feel
How does St. John believe those who are married and living amid public cares can aspire to monastic ideals?
Do whatever good you may. Speak evil of no one. Rob no one. Tell no lie. Despise no one and carry no hate. Do not separate yourself from the church assemblies. Show compassion to the needy. Do not be a cause of scandal to anyone. Stay away from the bed of another, and be satisfied with what your own wives can provide you. If you do all this, you will not be far from the kingdom of heaven.
What do marriage and monasticism have in common?
Both are lifelong commitments to something apart from ourselves. Both require the same sacrifice of the will. Both are means of mastering the passions and are paths to holiness and salvation.
Finish the statement:
To live as an exile is to remain...
unheralded, unpublicized, hidden, masked, unseen; it is the striving to be humble, a wish for poverty, a denial of vainglory
Who should we be obedient to?
God
Others
Our spouse
Spiritual Fathers
What is the end of repentance? What does repentance spring from? How does it make us free?
The end of repentance is to behold the face of God and to hear Him say, “Your sins are forgiven”; “Go and sin no more” (Matt. 9:2; John 8:11). “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace” (Luke 7:50). Repentance springs from humility, and humility makes us free.
Why is obedience to God essential for prayer and service?
Only an obedient heart can truly pray, for the end of prayer is not speaking to God, but hearing and heeding what He is saying back to us. One foot is advanced towards service, while the other stays firmly planted in prayer.
Why should we be occupied with our own faults?
When we are occupied with our own faults, we do not concern ourselves with the faults of others. He who weeps for himself will not be wrapped up in the grief, lapse or reproach of someone else. When we are truly penitent, anger disappears, and all the silly things we spend so much time worrying about suddenly seem small and insignificant, because our only concern now is our salvation.
How do we master the art of spiritual life?
How should we choose a spiritual father? What is the most important factor?
Bonus: What is the first step in discovering the will of God?
To master the art of spiritual life, we should subject ourselves to the guidance of a spiritual father.
We should choose a spiritual father in humility. Our obedience is far more important than the holiness of the spiritual father. What will you gain from having a spiritual father who is so far above and beyond what you are capable of understanding and obeying.
Those who wish to discover the will of God must begin by mortifying their own will.
What is a sign of true repentance?
The admission that all our troubles, and more besides, whether visible or not, were richly deserved